Apparatus for selective coating of articles



R. E. BURK APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVE COATING 0F ARTICLES April 16, 1940.

Filed Aug. 21, 1937 INVENTOR. 2056); 5 Z 3 M v d ATTORNEYS.

I Patented Apr..'16,,1940

APPARATUS non .SELECTIVE COATING or ARTICLES Robert E. Burk, Cleveland,v Ohio, assignor to The Standard Oil Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 21,

7 Claims.

In the coating of articles it is in some instances desired that the coating material be not applied over the entire article, but that certain portions be selectively coated. For instance in the finish- 5 surfacing 'of containers or cans, it is in many instances desirable to coat or finish merely the side wall and not apply any of the coating to'the heads or ends of the cans or containers. Particularly with certain finishes, the ends of the 10 cans are desirably protected against receiving any of the applied coating material. Heretofore, no'simple and eflicient means for accomplishing such selective coating has been available for special purpose work. In accordance with the Ill-present invention however, such containers or cans may be surface-finished as desired and the heads be excluded therefrom, the operations being capable of high throughput rate, with preservation of accuracy of operation. 7

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting-forth 25 in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle vof the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

so Fig. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view; Fig. 3

is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line III-.II-I, Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is an enlargedfragmentary sectional view taken on a plane sub- 35 stantially indicated by line IV-IV, Fig. l.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown two cooperating sets of traveling feeders B, C. These may be of convenient character, for instance a desirable form being spaced link belt chains 2, 3, traveling on sprockets 4, 5, 6, .1, certain of which may be positively driven. The two pairs of sprocket chains thus arranged are mounted for traveling in cooperative relation,

wherein at one end, for instance from sprockets I 5 4 to sprockets 5, the belts travel in an inwardly converging direction, coming to nearest approach at sprockets 5, thence maintaining their uniform distance to sprockets 6, thereby providing a treating zone; and at the other end of the machine,

50 as from the sprocket 6 to the sprocket I, the belts diverge, to return in a straight outer run to the sprockets 4. In effect, the opposed belts B and C form a traveling carrier system for picking up the cans to be treated, and carrying them through the treating zone, and thence delivering theni. A

1931, Serial No. so,so1 (CI. 91-44) feed chute 8 with a suitable incline at the inlet end of the machine and having a suitable guard enclosure 9 to direct the feed down to a single alignment of cans, serves to present the articles to the belt system. At the discharge end of the machine, a delivery plate or apron [0 with suitable downward incline serves to pass the completed articles on out. 1

-To grip and hold the articles for carrying through the treating zone, the opposed traveling belts carry chuck members l2, l3, Fig. 3, in opposed sets. These are of a shape and character to engage against the ends or the heads as the belts close in thereon, and frictionally hold the can through the travel stage. At least one of the chuck members is provided with spring means It urging the chuck member inwardly; A stub shaft l5 carrying the chuck member may be provided with an outer limiting head i6, and be mounted ina carrier bar ll secured between links of the chains 2, 3. A bracket l8 on the bar I1 may provide a further bearing for the stub it. Both of the chuck members are thus rotatively mounted in their carriers, and at least one of each set of chuck members is provided with a pinion meshable with a fixed toothed rack 2|, suitably supported by the framing of the machine just inside of the run of the belt.

' Above the first portion of treating zone between the cooperating belts is a means for applying coating liquid to the articles in transit, and an advantageous form for this may involve pipes 22 having suitable openings to project sprays of liquid upon the cans passing thereunder, the slotting or perforations for the spray jets being of such detail as may be desired, capable of supplyinga well distributed application of the liquid without great surplus, to the surfaces traveling and rotating thereunder. Below the run of the carried articles, is a collector or pan 23,'and this may be kept at desired temperature by suitable means, such for instance as heating pipes 24. A connection 25 leads from the pan to a pump 26 suitably driven in step with the rest of the machine, and from the pump feed-pipe 21 goes to distributing pipes 22. To guard the ends of the cans against over-flow of the coating liquid, flexible guards 30 are mounted to ride against the ends of the cans and'act'as dams preventing overflow of any possible surplus of the liquid. To

maintain these dams in contact with the moving cans, they are suitably weighted, and being flexible, they yield to the contour of the passing cans, One convenient weighting means may involve weight-rods 3i vertically slidable in guides in rail 32 suitably carried by the framing or the machine in stationary position inside of the runs of the belts. with a flexible guard, as rubber or textile, constant engagement against the cans may thus be had, insuring against possible liquid flow thereover.

In operation, the articles to be coated, for example headed cans, are supplied through the feed chute 8, and rolling down into aligned position, one by one, are picked up by the converging runs of the belts B, C, the chuck members l2, ll, closing in against the can-ends, and spring I! sewing to hold them firmly, the cans are carried along thus in transit with the belt. The toothed rail 2| being encountered, the meshing pinions 20 roll therealong, and rotate the cans in travel. At the same time, the spray of coating liquid is applied from the pipes 22 and distributes over the rotating cans, guards 30 protecting the ends of the cans.

Emerging from a coating zone, the coating liquid is set or hardened, and desirably this is accomplished rapidly. A setting fluid may be projected upon the cans, as for instance blowing air'from the pipes 35, and with the cans still in rotation through the treating zone, the film or coating is rapidly hardened. Depending upon the particular composition of the coating material, cold or heat may be applied for the setting or hardening.

In many instances, the coating material which is applied may be heated toa molten condition as desirable, and such coating sets rapidly under a cold air blast. Arriving at the diverging portion of the run, the belts B, C, are pulled away fromthe cans leaving them free to roll down the delivery tray ill to a further conveyor or whatever disposal is desired.

The rate of application from the spray heads 22 may be very closely adjusted by suitable provision, such as individual control valves 31, and a bypass pipe 38, Fig. 2, from the feed pipe 21 to the pan 23, with a control valve 39. With the pump operating at maximum efliciency and a continuous rate, entire uniformity of. discharge at the spray may be obtained by suitable control ling of the valves. 39, 31, i

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for coating the outside of cans, which comprises a series of opposed chuck members to engage the ends of the cans; traveling means carrying said chuck members through a converging zone wherein the cans are seized between pairs of the approaching chuck members and then a holding zone wherein the cans are carried along for treatment and then a diverging zone in which the chuck members separate and discharge the cans; a feed chute for the converging zone; a discharge apron for the diverging zone; rotatable pinions on at least one set of chuck members; a fixed rack to engage said pinions in a part of the travel; means for spraying a for heating the pan; a pump for returning liquid to the spray means; a controlled bypass from the pump to the pan; and pipe connections and jets for supplying a setting fluid to the surface of the coated cans.

2. Apparatus for coating the outside of cans,

which comprises a series of opposed chuck memextending. along and against the ends of the cans;

weight means to hold the guards down; and guides for the weight means.

3. Apparatus for coating the outside of articles having parallel ends, which comprises a series of chuck members to engage the ends thereof; traveling conveyor means carrying said chuck members and'having a converging zone wherein the articles are seized between pairs of the approaching chuck members and .then a holding zone wherein the articles are carried along for treatment and then a diverging zone in which the chuck members separate and discharge the articles; a feed chute for the converging zone; a discharge apron for the diverging zone; means for rotating the chuck members and contained articles; means for spraying a coating liquidon the articles so rotated and carried along; means for guarding the ends of the articles from the spray of liquid, said means -including flexible guards extending along and against the ends of the articles, and weight means to hold the guards down;'a pan to catch surplus liquid; means for controlling the temperature of the liquid; a pump for returning liquid to the spray means; and a controlled bypass from the pump to the pan.

4. Apparatus for coating the outside of articles having parallel ends, which comprises a series or chuck members'to engage the ends thereof; traveling conveyor means carrying 'said chuck members and having a converging zone wherein the articles are seized between pairs of the approaching chuck members and then aholding zone wherein the articles are carried along for treatment and then a diverging zone in which the chuck members separate and discharge the articles; means for spraying a liquid on the articles carried along; flexible guards extending along and guarding the ends of the articles from the liquid; and weight means .to hold the guards in place.

5. Apparatus for coating the outside of articles having parallel ends, which comprises a series of chuck members to engage the ends thereof; traveling conveyor means carrying said chuck members and having a converging zone wherein the articles are seized between pairs of the approaching chuck members and then a holding zone wherein the articles are carried along for treatment and then a diverging zone in which the chuck members separate and discharge 'the articles; means for rotating the chuck members and contained articles; means for spraying a coating liquid on the articles so rotated and carried along; and guards extending along and yieldably engaging the articles for guarding the ends from the liquid.

6. Apparatus for coating the outside of articles having parallel ends, which comprises a series mam-74a 3 in; the ends 01' "the articles from the spray of l quid.

7. Apparatus for coating the outside of articles having parallel ends, which comprises traveling means to pick up and carry the articles, means for rotating the articles in transit, means for coating a. liquid on the articles, and means .for guarding the ends of the articles from being coated.

ROBERT E. BURK. 

